Big data creates opportunities for all sorts of new services—good, bad or just wacky.
It’s difficult to be sure which category the Luce X2 TouchTV from Rhea Vendors falls under.
They have a snack-vending machine that could, in principle, access your medical records via facial recognition. Cross-referencing this with your purchase history would determine if you’d been naughty and, if so, no treat would be vended.
Of course, a passing healthy-looking student would always be happy to help you stick it to the man. But do you really want a vending machine vetoing your lunch?
Seriously, though, the increasing availability of data is going to present us with all manner of vexing opportunities. And the technology is moving faster than our understanding of the consequences.
